Ice
by TinyDancer14
Summary: No matter how many times Gabriella forced him to go to that rink, Troy wasn't ever going to be a star skater. He just wasn't.


**Okay, so after "Always There" I think you guys deserve a fluffy oneshot, haha. So I started writing this one and it just kinda... flowed. This one is mildly humorous, so I hope you all enjoy it. I'll get back to updating "Seven Wonders" as soon as I can. The ending on this one is kinda bad, but what are you gonna do? Please review!!**

**I own squat. Only got this idea from my own happenings at the ice skating rink. :D**

* * *

Ice

"No."

"Come on, Troy!"

"Gabriella, no!"

The petite brunette folded her arms across her chest and stared at her boyfriend. "Why not?"

"Because I'll die!" He stated as if it were obvious.

"No you will not, you are such a drama queen."

"King."

"Whatever."

Troy Bolton and his ever-loving girlfriend Gabriella Montez were spending a chilly cold January morning together in his basement, trying to think of something to do to cure their intense boredom. Currently, they had come up with building a snowman- Troy's idea, but there wasn't actually any snow on the ground- bungee jumping- Gabriella's idea, but then they both decided neither of them wanted to die- and baking cookies -Troy's idea, but they realized that neither of them really knew how to cook. So when Gabriella finally came up with a good and reasonable idea, she was shocked when her boyfriend turned it down.

Ice skating.

"I can't skate, Gabriella."

"Oh come on, Troy. How bad could you possibly be?"

He gave her a look. "I broke my leg in the fourth grade!"

She shot the look back. "You broke your leg because you decided it would be a good idea to make a slip and slide out of your kitchen. And then forgot it was there and slipped."

"Oh shut up, Montez. You know more about my life than I do."

Gabriella grinned and pecked his cheek. "Come on! It'll be so much fun!"

"For you, maybe. You have the grace and coordination you need to balance a stupid blade on a slippery surface. I, however, do not."

"But it'll be slightly amusing, don't you think?" Gabriella giggled.

Troy looked horrified. "That's why you want to do this? To laugh at me?"

Gabriella's eyes widened. "No!"

"I _knew_ it! You want me to go and make an idiot out of myself so you can take pictures and post them all over the internet!"

"Troy, you're being ridiculous." She shook her head. "I wouldn't do that to you. Besides, it's a good idea compared to the other three we came up with."

"Compared to the other three? Yeah sure." Troy agreed. "But I'm sure we can come up with more."

"Troy!" She whined. "Just do this, please? I really want to go skating. I haven't gone in long time."

"Are you a good skater?"

"No, not really." She lied through her teeth, trying hard not to let it show. "We can suck at this together, okay?"

Troy groaned. "Fine! Fine! We can go ice skating."

"Yay!"

"I'm only doing this because I love you."

Gabriella grinned. "I know."

After a drive that lasted about fifteen minutes, Troy and Gabriella pulled up to the skating arena and noticed that it was incredibly packed. People poured into and out of the doors of the arena and this alone intimidated Troy, who stated that now the entire world would know how bad of a skater he was. Gabriella only rolled her eyes as they hopped out of the car and took a gentle hold of his hand, squeezing it in her own for reassurance.

They rented their skates and laced them up at a nearby table inside. Luckily for Troy, he didn't recognize anyone from school yet and was hoping and praying that he wouldn't for the rest of the day. Gabriella observed the rink as people whizzed by, doing axels and turns- the showoffs- and those who gripped the side of the wall, barely making it across the ice- the same position she and Troy would most likely be in. She glanced back at her boyfriend and for the first time since she met him saw true terror in his eyes. It amazed her that something this simple could freak him out so easily.

"Troy, it's okay." She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm going to help you."

He nodded. "Please do."

Gabriella stepped out onto the ice and motioned for him to follow her but he shook his head. "No thanks. You go first."

She laughed. "I already did. Look, I'll do a lap and show you how easy it is."

Gabriella took off slowly at first, getting herself better acquainted with the surroundings. Once she did, however, it was like no time had passed. She skated in circles, performed a few figure eights and even an axel- it was a little rusty but she could still pull it off- before heading back over to Troy who was waiting for her at the entrance. A bewildered look rested upon his face and she smiled at him innocently.

"What?"

"You call that easy?" He started. "You told me you weren't good at skating!"

Gabriella shrugged. "Okay, I lied a little. But come on. That was nothing. You should see the other people in here."

"Oh I see them. You guys are all on the same level."

"Troy, please just do this." She begged him. "For me?"

Troy glanced at his girlfriend and starting shaking his head. "No, don't do that! Don't do that to me!"

"Do what?"

"The look! You're giving me the look!" He accused. "The one you always give me when you want me to do something and I always, _always_ fall for it!"

"Can't help it if you're vulnerable." She said, reaching up and pressing her lips against his in a pure and innocent kiss that Troy believed should've lasted much longer than it did.

When she pulled away from him, she linked his arm with hers. "Okay come on! We've wasted too much time out here."

Cautiously, she and Troy stepped onto the ice and he didn't even slip just a little bit. "Hey, this is pretty easy!"

"See?" She grinned. "I told you it wasn't that bad."

"It is! It's actually kind of fu- ah!" Troy's right foot slipped out from under him and gripped onto his girlfriend even tighter.

She winced at the added pressure on her arm. "It's okay! You didn't fall."

"Not yet!"

"And Troy, please do tell me, why are you stomping?" She had to try and hold back a laugh. "You're supposed to glide."

"How do I do that?"

Gabriella pulled him over to a corner of the rink, secluded from the rest of the crowd. "Here, hold the wall, I'll show you."

She moved smoothly from one side to the other and waited for him to the same. "You shouldn't walk. You've got to slide. If you don't, you'll fall."

He tried, truly he did, but when he wobbled at the slightest movement he gripped the wall to stop. "I can't do this."

"Yes you can!" Gabriella insisted. "You're going to do it, I know you are."

After an hour of determination, Gabriella had finally pried Troy's hands off of her arm and he was finally skating without any assistance. He wasn't Kristi Yamaguchi by any stretch and was still obsessed with falling, but now he was skating somewhat normally. She was holding his hand and it was just the two of them and the ice. That's all they needed at the moment. Gabriella had to admit, how many other guys would do this for their girlfriend? She loved him so much and kissed his shoulder as they rounded a turn.

"See how good you are now?" She pointed out. "It's so romantic, isn't it?"

"I guess so." And then a light bulb went off in his head. He knew _exactly_ what to do for their anniversary the next evening. "Actually, it's quite amazing."

"Yeah," Gabriella chuckled. "It is."

"So let's get out of here."

"What?" She questioned him. "I thought I had made serious progress?"

"You did, you did. But I have to make arrangements for our anniversary tomorrow." Troy stated. "I am a genius."

"Okay...?"

They quickly got off the ice and returned their skates, putting their shoes and coats back on their bodies. Troy nodded towards the doors as they exited them. "Well I had a good time today with you, Gabriella. Meet me back here tomorrow night at seven."

"Oh you had that nice of a time? See? I told you it would be fun!" She said triumphantly, but then gave him a confused look. "Wait, the skating rink is closed on Sundays."

He grinned. "Exactly."

* * *

Gabriella walked into the skating arena the next evening, the abysmal darkness making it difficult for her to see anything at all. She walked forward with her arms out straight in front of her, making it easier to guide her along the inside of the building. When she reached a door that was cold to the touch, she assumed it was the door to the skating rink and she pulled it open. The cool air smacked her in the face as she stepped into the rink area and she shivered violently. It was much warmer with the lights on, she decided.

"Hello?" She called out, waiting for a response from anyone to confirm her right to be there. "Troy?"

Suddenly, the entire room lit up in the fluorescent lighting the rink had installed. Gabriella squinted at first, waiting for her eyes to adjust to all the light, but when her eyes came into focus, they widened in amazement. A large red blanket was placed on the center of the ice, with a picnic basket and what she assumed was dinner atop it. Scattered rose petals were all over the ice, and as she stepped out onto it, Troy emerged from one of the garages off to the side riding a Zamboni.

Or, driving one.

"Good evening, miss." He called out to her, trying to hide his boyish grin. "Would you care for a ride?"

She only laughed. "Since when do you know how to drive these things?"

Troy shrugged. "Since never. Hop on."

Gabriella took his hand and he pulled her up to sit beside him, driving towards the picnic blanket. When they climbed off, he warned her, "There's only one blanket, so I assume our asses literally _will_ freeze off by the end of the night."

"What a wonderful picture."

As they sat down and Troy began to pour what looked like champagne, Gabriella just had to ask. "How did you do this?"

"What, sneak champagne? It's sparkling apple cider." Troy admitted. "It looks like the real thing, but it isn't."

"No, no. How did you do this?" She gestured towards the rink. "All of this. Break into the closed rink, steal a Zamboni... all of it."

He chuckled. "Well I didn't break in. The owner of the rink is my cousin's hockey coach. I asked him if we could borrow it during a time no one was here and he said that he couldn't make any promises, but that they were closed on Sunday nights. And I didn't steal the Zamboni. I just kind of decided it would be an awesome way to transport us to the middle of the ice- without nearly dying on skates."

"Well this amazing." She grinned, leaning over to kiss him softly on the lips. "You really know how to make an anniversary special."

"Well, I try. It's good to know my efforts are appreciated." Troy smiled, kissing right back. "Now, for our dinner."

They dined on the finest of fares, talking and laughing the entire time. It was great just spending time together, as with school, midterms, and preparing for college only got in the way of their hectic lives this January. They were graduating in five months, moving on with their lives, so it was good to know that they still could spare some time where it was just the two of them. Those were the times they cherished the most. After they finished eating, Troy packed the remains of their dinner and silverware away and brought out yet another picnic basket, the same foolish grin on his face.

Gabriella was confused. "We just ate. What is this?"

"Open it."

When she did, she found two pairs of ice skates resting at the bottom of the basket. She nearly laughed out loud. "Oh my God!"

"Don't laugh at me!" Troy defended. "I've gotten so much better!"

"In a day?" Gabriella questioned skeptically. "Somehow I have to doubt that."

Troy frowned. "You want me to show you?"

Gabriella nodded. "Yes I do. Very much so."

"Fine." He tied the shoes onto his feet and stood up, a little wobbly at first. Gabriella smirked and Troy stuck his tongue out at her. He stepped off the blanket and onto the ice and took a deep breath. After calming himself, he took off. He was gliding and skimming over top the ice like a near professional, so much better than the previous day. Gabriella was impressed, she had to admit. He _did_ look so much better than yesterday. She began tying her pair of shoes on her own feet to join him but when she glanced up, she noticed he was headed for the wall.

"Troy, you might want to turn now."

"You never taught me how to stop!"

Smack. Troy crashed right into the wall and fell flat on his back.

Gabriella had to keep from laughing as she approached his fallen figure. "Are you okay?"

Troy merely shook his head. As his girlfriend helped him sit up, he simply looked at her in disappointment. "I think... I think I should leave the ice skating to you from now on."

She giggled. "I think so too. Did you hurt yourself?"

"I may have severely bruised my elbow."

"You're taking this much better than I thought you would," Gabriella remarked, pushing his shirt back to examine the bone, which was already a dark blue in color. "Yeah, you're bruising pretty badly."

"Damn. I need some ice."

Troy and Gabriella glanced down at the surface upon which they rested and burst into laughter.

"Isn't it ironic that the thing that caused the problem is also the only thing that can fix it?"

Gabriella pressed his elbow to the icy floor. "That it is."


End file.
